Animated ash tray



y 3, 1956 A. STARKENBERG 2,752,877

ANIMATED ASH TRAY Filed Oct. 22, 1954 7 v\ w Ir 5 I N V EN TOR. AKA 01D LEW/Mafia BY Z Q M United States Patent ANIMATED ASH TRAY Arnold Starkenberg, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application October 22, 1954, Serial No. 463,873

4 Claims. (Cl. 116101) The present invention relates to improvements in animated ash trays and particularly to improved constructions and mechanisms for ash trays for the purpose of creating novel effects and increasing the safety of use of ash trays.

As is well known, one of the difiiculties in the use of conventional ash trays having rimmed bowls on which cigarettes, cigars or the like, may be mounted is that, as a cigarette, cigar or the like, continues to burn after being placed on the ash tray, its center of gravity changes and it may topple off the ash tray outside the bowl and thereby damage the table or desk supporting the ash tray and raise the hazard of possible fires.

According to the present invention, these hazards and disadvantages are lessened and a novel effect is achieved by a mechanism which responds to the burning of the cigarette, cigar or the like, beyond a predetermined point to initiate an action which is both a visual and aural warning, calling attention to the burning cigarette, cigar or the like, so that it may be removed or extinguished before it falls out of the ash tray onto a combustible surface.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is an elevational view of the present invention partly in cross section and illustratively showing a cigarette in place;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the invention with the base plate removed showing the underside of the ash tray and the mechanism concealed in the base thereof;

Figure 3 shows an enlarged vertical fragmentary plan view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, showing the heat-responsive release mechanism of the present invention.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, the present invention comprises an ash tray or bowl 1 having a base 4 and an annular rim 31 and a depressed central bowl or tray portion 2 of conventional form. At a position around the periphery of the rim 31 is a groove or trough 3 for receiving a cigarette, cigar or the like, diametrically opposite to which is a cylindrical pedestal 25. As will be apparent herein below, the groove 3 and pedestal 25 may have any desired relationship, and need not be opposite one another.

Secured by means of a loop 39 and a suitable hinge pin 18 through the center of said loop, to the underside of the trough 3, is a bi-metallic element 19. The bimetallic element 19 has also an inverted double-U or bow portion 35 followed by an actuating portion 33 which points in a downward manner passing through a wide slot in trough 3 to the hollow underside of bowl 1. The actuating portion 33 of the bi-metallic element 19 enters a slot in one end of a lever 20, which is pivotally mounted upon a suitable post 22 and secured by a screw and washer 21 or other means allowing lever 20 to move freely without binding. Lever 20 at its other end is pivotally con- 2,752,877 Patented July 3, 1956 nected to a light wire or other stiff rod 23, having its opposite extremity passing through a suitable opening in a bracket 24 which supports the member 23 for longitudinalwise movement.

Secured by suitable means to the base of the hollow bowl 1 is a conventional spring-wound music-making device 32 upon which bracket 24 is mounted by any desired means.

A post or pedestal 25 is formed on the rim 31 of bowl 1, and an ornamental figure, represented here as an elephant 37, is rotatably mounted on pedestal 25. The figure 37 has a threaded stud at its base which passes through pedestal 25 and is inserted in an internally threaded connector 7 which at its opposite end is similarly internally threaded to receive a threaded stem 6 which is directly connected to a spring motor 5 forming part of music device 32. The music device 32 is of conventional construction, and its spring motor 5 drives pin hub 9, which is connected by conventional gearing to an air-governor vane 17, normally held in check by the light wire or metal rod 23, which thereby prevents gear movement and thus holds the spring motor 5 in a wound state.

Should a cigarette 34 be laid in the trough 3 and burn back until its hot tip is adjacent to the double fold 35 of the bi-inetallic element 19, this element will respond to the heat thereof by moving the operating portion 33 of the bi-metallic element 19 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. This will rotate the lever 20 about pivot 21 and will swing it toward its dotted line position shown in Figure 2. Lever 20 in turn pulls member 23 to the left as viewed in Figure 2, so that it no longer holds the air-governor vane 17 in check and allows the vane 17 to rotate, permitting the musical device 32 to operate.

The winding stem 6 now unwinds and causes the figure 37 to rotate. The audible musical sound and the visible rotating figure now in operation will attract attention to the burning cigarette, so that it can be removed or extinguished before the cigarette has a chance to fall outwardly off the ash tray.

In operation, the heat from a lighted cigarette, cigar or the like, will actuate bi-metallic element 19, whose end 33 is thereby moved to rotate lever 20 and pull rod 23 away from vane 17, so that the spring motor 5 is free to rotate both the music device 32 and the figure 37. Upon cooling off, the bi-metallic element restores rod 23 in the way of vane 17 to stop the device. It may readily be rewound by rotating figure 37.

The present invention thus provides not only an audible and visual safety signal, but also supplies a novelty effect by the automatic rotation of the figure 37 and the production of sound accompaniment, merely by action of a burning cigarette, cigar or the like. It will be understood that the device may be actuated by heat in any form, such as a lighted match, candle, etc., if it is desired to demonstrate its operation.

While a particular form of music device is illustrated, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that any desired motive device for rotating the figure 37 may be used, with or without the accompaniment of music or other sound.

What is claimed is:

1. An ash tray comprising an ash receiving bowl having a rim, a cigarette-receiving trough formed in said rim, a bi-metallic element positioned in said trough having a double bow and adapted upon juxtaposition of the lighted end of a cigarette to said double bow to have one end displaced thereby, a lever mounted pivotally with respect to said bowl and operatively coupled to said bi-metallic element and to be displaced thereby, a rod pivotally fastened at one end to said lever, a spring-wound music device having a winding stem and an air-vane governor normally held in check by said rod, and thereby prevented from operating by said rod, said bi-metallic element being biased to pull said rod out of contact with said air-vane governor upon heating of said element, thereby releasing said airvane governor and allowing the said spring-wound music device to operate causing an audible musical sound.

2. A device as described in claim 1, in combination with a pedestal support on said bowl rim, a figurine rotatably mounted on said pedestal, a coupling connecting said figurine to the winding stem of said spring-wound music device, said figurine being thereby rotated as the springwound music device unwinds causing a visual signalling effect.

3. An ash receiver comprising a rimmed bowl with a trough therein, a temperature-sensitive element in said trough, a spring-wound motor having an air-governor vane, a holding mechanism coupled to said element and normally holding said vane in check, whereby said spring- Wound motor is prevented from operating, said temperature-sensitive element being biased so that upon heating its consequent movement causes release of the said holding mechanism causing said motor to operate.

4. In combination With a device as in claim 3, a pedestal support on the said rimmed bowl, a figurine rotatably mounted on said pedestal, a winding stem on said spring motor coupled to said figurine, so that as said motor operates, said figurine rotates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,533,835 Palmer Dec. 12, 1950 

